Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, March 12, 1992 TAG: 9203120318
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
"It's like a feeding frenzy, but nobody knows what they're eating yet," said John Mamoudis, a Virginia Beach developer who is part of a group that wants to build a track in Portsmouth.
Wilder has not seen the legislation, said Lisa Katz, the governor's deputy press secretary.
"We don't look at racing opportunities unless off-track betting has been legalized," said Max Harris, vice president of Michigan's Ladbroke Racing Corp., which operates Detroit Racing Course.
But Harris said Ladbroke is now prepared to look at Virginia, pending Wilder's signature making off-track betting legal.
Just the prospect of the governor's signature seems to have been enough to spur interest.
Arnold Stansley, president of Ohio's Raceway Park, said he has visited New Kent County and will return to Virginia to "visit more sites and talk to more people."
Top officials of Ohio's Beulah Park, who already have visited a site in New Kent, are coming to Portsmouth next week, officials said.
Also next week, representatives of Kentucky-based Churchill Downs will visit sites in Northern Virginia, New Kent and Portsmouth.
Churchill Downs is looking for a site for a second track, general counsel Mark Wilson said.
"Virginia is one of our very top priorities" because of its proximity, established horse breeding industry and "good racing legislation," Wilson said.
Eight Virginia counties have approved pari-mutuel wagering.
Any new horse track in Virginia probably would be built in Northern Virginia, New Kent County or Portsmouth, racing officials said.
"New Kent has the leg up," said Donald Price, the state racing commissioner.
Price said the county has an advantage because it is willing to provide more than 300 acres of free land and has met several local requirements to accommodate a track.
Joe DeFrancis, president of Maryland's Laurel and Pimlico race tracks, said he is willing to look at a southern expansion to avoid destructive competition between the two states.
"Certainly we'd be interested in working with anyone to make sure it's beneficial rather than harmful" to both states, he said.
Keywords:
HORSE RACING
Memo: shorter version ran in the Metro edition.